Recently, a lot of friends have been giving me handphone accessories as gifts. My phone almost always goes with some sort of handphone accessories though I don’t buy a lot cause I think a handphone accessory is unnecessary and mostly overpriced. I’m also very picky haha – the accessory needs to match the phone.

So it really saves me money that I’ve quite a few options now. Though it’s also a headache because while some are totally cute, I can’t imagine them on my black-as-soot Motorola v3xx. I’ve gotten a bear one (a Japanese product from this Japanese shop at The Central), a rabbit one (souvenir bought from Japan by a manager), a cat one (also a souvenir from Japan by another friend) and the newest addition – a cat one that looks really Japanese but bought from Shanghai haha.

But of course, my favourites are the cats. And both are black, so they go well with my phone. Haha I know, black cats don’t seem like good luck, right. But I’m not superstitious and black cats are actually the prettiest cause their coats usually look super slick and shiny, and they usually have outstanding green eyes.

And the one I’m using now is bought by D on her business trip to Shanghai. Nice that all my friends keep remembering to buy small souvenirs for me whenever they are away. =D 

My colleagues at Office Below are undeniably hooked onto Hindi films! Which is very the good for me! They’ve found 2 more comedies starring the same cast of Munna Bhai MBBS and, yes, they’ve made copies for me muwahaha!

My family and friends think that I’m crazy, but it’s understandable haha. Not only do I watch Hindi movies, I now talk with an Indian accent from time to time, with frequent shaking of my head. I listen to the Hindi songs from the sound tracks (I’ve 12 songs in my Motorola!) and my mobile ring tone is now Subah Ho Gayee Mamu from Munna Bhai MBBS haha. 

Yesterday, which was Deepavali, the first thing I did after I woke up was to bathe AND listen to the Hindi songs at the same time haha. When my sis heard it, she first had this “不是吧” look on her face and then asked me what songs I was listening to, even though I think she knows it sounds Hindi but she was in denial that her sis (me!) might be really insane and thinking to herself, 不是吧, 不可能, 难道真的是.  

I told her that it was Deepavali anyway and we must 配合气氛 haha. Even though I’d no such intention then. I simply like the songs. =D

Anyway I spent an enjoyable 2 hours watching Lago Raho Muuna Bhai last night. Lage Raho Munna Bhai (which means Carry on Munna Bhai) released in 2006 and the second film in the popular Munna Bhai series of Bollywood. This film is pretty much the same as the first one in the sense that the central protagonist Munna Bhai (still a Mumbai underworld don) fell in love with another pretty woman, supposedly out of his league, who was a radio DJ. Once again, using his means, he managed to know the girl and they fell in love. Again, he lied about his identity, being a History Professor this time round. Stuff happened as usual and in the end, of course it’s Happily Ever After as always haha.

But the unique part that sets this movie from the first one, and also from a lot of Bollywood movies, is the use of notion of Gandhigiri. Yes, Gandhi and Gandhism is the centre of this film. Gandhigiri is a neologism for Gandhism. In this film, Munna cultivates a new life based upon Gandhism (particularly non-violence and truth) which transforms everyone with whom he comes into contact. Munna even starts to co-host a radio-show with his lady love, guiding his audience to use Gandhigiri to solve everyday problems.

Lage Raho Munna Bhai has had a strong cultural impact in India, popularising Gandhism. It was praised by the PM of India, who stated that the film “captures Gandhi’s message about the power of truth and humanism.” The film was generally well received by critics and at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival was declared a “blockbuster”. It was the recipient of a number of awards and is the first Hindi film to be shown in the UN.

This movie is not only as hilarious as the first one, it’s much more touching and meaningful! Gandhism, while I find it hard to completely follow cause it requires one to be totally selfless, is really inspiring. I suddenly felt ashamed (these days, my ignorance makes me feel this way quite often haha) that I know nothing much of this Great man, except that he was from India. Very inspired to read up on him and Gandhism now haha.

A really fantastic movie to watch. I’m more than pleased to share if anyone is interested haha.